CHALLENGES

THE WAY FORWARD

ACHIEVEMENTS

SCALE-UP CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN

EMERGENCY RISK MANAGEMENT

IN COUNTRIES

The WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia passed a resolution in September 2018 on strengthening EMTs, the first such resolution in any of the six WHO regions.

Thailand became the first Member State in the Region to get WHO classification for its EMT and the 26th team in the international roster of WHO-classified, internationally deployable medical teams.

Public health intelligence has been strengthened as one of the central functions under which detected events are systematically verified, assessed for their potential to spread and have a severe impact, and finally recorded in close collaboration with national authorities.

Since 2008, SEARHEF has provided immediate financial support to nine out of 11 Member States in 37 emergency operations, with disbursements of more than US$ 5.91 million.

Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand developed their national action plans for health security in 2018 and are implementing them, while they are planned for 2019 in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Timor-Leste.

Protracted emergencies such as the Rohingya crisis require huge resources – technical, financial and logistical – in the medium to long term. All levels of the Organization need to be continually engaged to provide the most efficient assistance.

Limited capacity of the IHR NFPs across the Region, especially in the areas of field epidemiology, vector control and prevention, infection control, travel medicine, risk communication, emerging and re-emerging diseases, mass gathering management and points of entry (specifically ground crossings).

For this flagship, the focus will be to sustain all efforts in emergency preparedness and response capabilities in the health sector. This entails implementing the regional plan for emergency preparedness and response capacity building which includes IHR strengthening and measuring progress, work on risk communications, detection, verification and event notification and management. Investments need to be accelerated, whether financial or technical or through domestic sources or partners in order to move forward in core elements of this area of work. These partnerships and investments need to address gaps such as capacities for operational readiness, chemical, biological, and radionuclear events, points of entry, health emergency operations centers and emergency medical teams. Lastly, this flagship will leverage ICT technologies and new partnerships to improve preparedness and response systems in countries.

SUSTAIN

ACCELERATE

INNOVATE

efforts to strengthen emergency preparedness and response capabilities in health and related sectors.

investment to address critical gaps at national and subnational levels.

to continuously improve preparedness and response systems.

Mehak SethiWHO SEARO

TARGETS

PROGRESS

BACKGROUNDThe WHO South-East Asia (SEA) Region is vulnerable to natural disasters, outbreaks and other health emergencies. Member States of the SEA Region have been preventing, detecting and responding to outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging diseases (SARS, H1N1, MERS-CoV) and, recently, Ebola, Nipah and Zika virus disease. The Region invested and built capacity in emergency risk management after two events: (1) the tsunami of 2004, which affected several Member States, and (2) adoption of the International Health Regulations (2005). The renewed focus of this Flagship is to sustain these capacities including by accelerating progress and innovation.

Expected results of emergency risk management in Member States:

Awareness improved of key partners on health issues in emergencies;

Information on and knowledge management of emergency risk management – health across all hazards improved;

Capacities for emergency risk management in the health sector in place to prevent, prepare, respond to and recover from emergencies across all hazards;

WHO’s capacity for preparedness and response to public health emergencies in place; and

Competent partners across sectors engaged with all aspects of emergency risk management in the Region.

S. no. 2013 2019Target 2023

Key Performance Indicator

IHR core capacity compliance achieved and monitored.

Capacity regularly monitored as per SEA Region Benchmarks for emergency preparedness and response.

2

8

8*

11**

11

11

Strengthening of national mechanisms that support effective and high-performing national emergency medical teams (EMTs) in line with the WHO Classification and Minimum Standards, and developing and implementing a national plan for strengthening systems for EMTs. National EMT training was conducted in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia and Thailand.

A total of 655 signals (unverified raw media information) related to public health incidences and related human deaths were captured from the 11 Member States through the new WHO electronic public health intelligence platform, also called Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS), since 2018. Of these, 102 were confirmed as events of public health importance; important variations were observed according to the hazard type and country of occurrence for major events.

The Working Group, which has met seven times since 2008, recommended a 10-year external evaluation of the utilization and impact of SEARHEF (its relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability). It was supported by WHE, hosted by Timor-Leste and prioritized by the Regional Director as one of the areas of work to be evaluated in 2018.

SEARHEF provided immediate financial support to nine out of 11 Member States in 37 emergency operations, with disbursements of more than US$ 5.91 million. As of July 2019, US$ 466 307 has been disbursed from the allocation of US$ 1.1 million in the current biennium (2018–2019) (including Timor-Leste’s Voluntary Contribution from of US$ 100 000).

INDIA

NEPAL DPR KOREA

BANGLADESH

THAILANDMYANMAR

SRI LANKA

INDONESIA

MALDIVES

TIMOR-LESTE

BHUTAN

cVDPV1

cVDPV1Tsunami

FloodsFood insecurity

Earthquake

Tsunami

Floods

FloodsNipah (n=2)

Zika Floods

Floods

Floods

Societal

The South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) is an operational fund and is earmarked for providing support for the health sector response of Member States during emergencies. The Fund, established via Regional Committee resolution SEA/RC60/R7 in 2008, pools a budget of US$ 1 million for each biennium from Assessed Contributions. It provides financial support for the first three months following a disaster in a Member State to meet immediate and urgent health needs, support emergency field operations and fill in critical gaps. SEARHEF is overseen by a Working Group comprising 11 representatives from Member States.

Under IHR (2005) obligations, Member States have maintained 100% compliance with the self-assessed State Party Annual Reporting (SPAR) for 2018. Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand developed their national action plans for health security in 2018 and are implementing them, while they are planned for 2019 in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Timor-Leste.

India conducted an after-action review (AAR) for Nipah virus outbreak response and Nepal after an air crash event. Indonesia and Nepal conducted simulation exercises for influenza outbreak preparedness and response. A regional training for promoting implementation of AAR and SimEx is being planned for September 2019 to further build and test IHR core capacities in the Region.

The Regional Office has also developed and disseminated the emergency response operations manual, with clear roles and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the guidance of WHO country offices and emergency teams in the field.

To increase awareness of and response capacities for events following the release of hazardous substances, including chemicals, biological agents, radiological and nuclear materials (CBRN), WHO conducted a training on Emergency Response in Natural, Accidental and Deliberate Events and Operational Readiness in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 13–15 February 2019. It was attended by representatives from various ministries and different sectors involved in the health response to deliberate events. Maldives also participated in this training.

Worst floods since 1924 in the Indian coastal state of Kerala. WHO provided support with funding from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). A post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA) for the health sector was conducted under WHO leadership.

Floods hit the north and south Hwanghae provinces of DPR Korea. WHO provided for immediate health needs.

Monsoon floods affected Bago Region, Mon State, Kayin State and Tanintharyi Region in Myanmar. The Country Office provided immediate support in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Sports (MoHS) and other UN agencies and international partners.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Donggala District, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia on 28 September 2018, followed by a tsunami and liquefaction. WHO resources were mobilized from the country to regional levels. An after-action/operational review was conducted in Palu City during the early recovery phase.

A tsunami hit western part of Java/Sunda strait after the Anak Krakatoa volcano erupted. This caused underwater landslides with high tide and tsunami waves in Banten Province on 22 December.

In June 2019, a regional consultation of IHR national focal points (NFPs) was organized to discuss and finalize a Five-year Regional Strategic Plan to strengthen Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response and a Regional Risk Communication Strategy. It also worked out modalities for the Regional Knowledge Network of IHR NFPs to share best practices and learning.

WHO responded to several acute emergencies in 2018:

In addition to several smaller-scale emergencies, the Regional Office provided technical and financial support to the highest-graded emergency caused by the influx of more than 800 000 Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh since late August 2017.

Major events in the SEA Region (1st January 2018–16th July 2019)

* Joint External Evaluation conducted in Member States** MMR and no country should have an MMR of more than 140.

AKM Rahmat Ali

Disclaimer: © World Health Organization. The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply the expression of an opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

TARGETS

PROGRESS

BACKGROUNDThe WHO South-East Asia (SEA) Region is vulnerable to natural disasters, outbreaks and other health emergencies. Member States of the SEA Region have been preventing, detecting and responding to outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging diseases (SARS, H1N1, MERS-CoV) and, recently, Ebola, Nipah and Zika virus disease. The Region invested and built capacity in emergency risk management after two events: (1) the tsunami of 2004, which affected several Member States, and (2) adoption of the International Health Regulations (2005). The renewed focus of this Flagship is to sustain these capacities including by accelerating progress and innovation.

Expected results of emergency risk management in Member States:

Awareness improved of key partners on health issues in emergencies;

Information on and knowledge management of emergency risk management – health across all hazards improved;

Capacities for emergency risk management in the health sector in place to prevent, prepare, respond to and recover from emergencies across all hazards;

WHO’s capacity for preparedness and response to public health emergencies in place; and

Competent partners across sectors engaged with all aspects of emergency risk management in the Region.

S. no. 2013 2019Target 2023

Key Performance Indicator

IHR core capacity compliance achieved and monitored.

Capacity regularly monitored as per SEA Region Benchmarks for emergency preparedness and response.

2

8

8*

11**

11

11

Strengthening of national mechanisms that support effective and high-performing national emergency medical teams (EMTs) in line with the WHO Classification and Minimum Standards, and developing and implementing a national plan for strengthening systems for EMTs. National EMT training was conducted in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia and Thailand.

A total of 655 signals (unverified raw media information) related to public health incidences and related human deaths were captured from the 11 Member States through the new WHO electronic public health intelligence platform, also called Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS), since 2018. Of these, 102 were confirmed as events of public health importance; important variations were observed according to the hazard type and country of occurrence for major events.

The Working Group, which has met seven times since 2008, recommended a 10-year external evaluation of the utilization and impact of SEARHEF (its relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability). It was supported by WHE, hosted by Timor-Leste and prioritized by the Regional Director as one of the areas of work to be evaluated in 2018.

SEARHEF provided immediate financial support to nine out of 11 Member States in 37 emergency operations, with disbursements of more than US$ 5.91 million. As of July 2019, US$ 466 307 has been disbursed from the allocation of US$ 1.1 million in the current biennium (2018–2019) (including Timor-Leste’s Voluntary Contribution from of US$ 100 000).

INDIA

NEPAL DPR KOREA

BANGLADESH

THAILANDMYANMAR

SRI LANKA

INDONESIA

MALDIVES

TIMOR-LESTE

BHUTAN

cVDPV1

cVDPV1Tsunami

FloodsFood insecurity

Earthquake

Tsunami

Floods

FloodsNipah (n=2)

Zika Floods

Floods

Floods

Societal

The South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) is an operational fund and is earmarked for providing support for the health sector response of Member States during emergencies. The Fund, established via Regional Committee resolution SEA/RC60/R7 in 2008, pools a budget of US$ 1 million for each biennium from Assessed Contributions. It provides financial support for the first three months following a disaster in a Member State to meet immediate and urgent health needs, support emergency field operations and fill in critical gaps. SEARHEF is overseen by a Working Group comprising 11 representatives from Member States.

Under IHR (2005) obligations, Member States have maintained 100% compliance with the self-assessed State Party Annual Reporting (SPAR) for 2018. Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand developed their national action plans for health security in 2018 and are implementing them, while they are planned for 2019 in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Timor-Leste.

India conducted an after-action review (AAR) for Nipah virus outbreak response and Nepal after an air crash event. Indonesia and Nepal conducted simulation exercises for influenza outbreak preparedness and response. A regional training for promoting implementation of AAR and SimEx is being planned for September 2019 to further build and test IHR core capacities in the Region.

The Regional Office has also developed and disseminated the emergency response operations manual, with clear roles and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the guidance of WHO country offices and emergency teams in the field.

To increase awareness of and response capacities for events following the release of hazardous substances, including chemicals, biological agents, radiological and nuclear materials (CBRN), WHO conducted a training on Emergency Response in Natural, Accidental and Deliberate Events and Operational Readiness in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 13–15 February 2019. It was attended by representatives from various ministries and different sectors involved in the health response to deliberate events. Maldives also participated in this training.

Worst floods since 1924 in the Indian coastal state of Kerala. WHO provided support with funding from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). A post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA) for the health sector was conducted under WHO leadership.

Floods hit the north and south Hwanghae provinces of DPR Korea. WHO provided for immediate health needs.

Monsoon floods affected Bago Region, Mon State, Kayin State and Tanintharyi Region in Myanmar. The Country Office provided immediate support in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Sports (MoHS) and other UN agencies and international partners.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Donggala District, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia on 28 September 2018, followed by a tsunami and liquefaction. WHO resources were mobilized from the country to regional levels. An after-action/operational review was conducted in Palu City during the early recovery phase.

A tsunami hit western part of Java/Sunda strait after the Anak Krakatoa volcano erupted. This caused underwater landslides with high tide and tsunami waves in Banten Province on 22 December.

In June 2019, a regional consultation of IHR national focal points (NFPs) was organized to discuss and finalize a Five-year Regional Strategic Plan to strengthen Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response and a Regional Risk Communication Strategy. It also worked out modalities for the Regional Knowledge Network of IHR NFPs to share best practices and learning.

WHO responded to several acute emergencies in 2018:

In addition to several smaller-scale emergencies, the Regional Office provided technical and financial support to the highest-graded emergency caused by the influx of more than 800 000 Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh since late August 2017.

Major events in the SEA Region (1st January 2018–16th July 2019)

* Joint External Evaluation conducted in Member States** MMR and no country should have an MMR of more than 140.

AKM Rahmat Ali

Disclaimer: © World Health Organization. The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply the expression of an opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

TARGETS

PROGRESS

BACKGROUNDThe WHO South-East Asia (SEA) Region is vulnerable to natural disasters, outbreaks and other health emergencies. Member States of the SEA Region have been preventing, detecting and responding to outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging diseases (SARS, H1N1, MERS-CoV) and, recently, Ebola, Nipah and Zika virus disease. The Region invested and built capacity in emergency risk management after two events: (1) the tsunami of 2004, which affected several Member States, and (2) adoption of the International Health Regulations (2005). The renewed focus of this Flagship is to sustain these capacities including by accelerating progress and innovation.

Expected results of emergency risk management in Member States:

Awareness improved of key partners on health issues in emergencies;

Information on and knowledge management of emergency risk management – health across all hazards improved;

Capacities for emergency risk management in the health sector in place to prevent, prepare, respond to and recover from emergencies across all hazards;

WHO’s capacity for preparedness and response to public health emergencies in place; and

Competent partners across sectors engaged with all aspects of emergency risk management in the Region.

S. no. 2013 2019Target 2023

Key Performance Indicator

IHR core capacity compliance achieved and monitored.

Capacity regularly monitored as per SEA Region Benchmarks for emergency preparedness and response.

2

8

8*

11**

11

11

Strengthening of national mechanisms that support effective and high-performing national emergency medical teams (EMTs) in line with the WHO Classification and Minimum Standards, and developing and implementing a national plan for strengthening systems for EMTs. National EMT training was conducted in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia and Thailand.

A total of 655 signals (unverified raw media information) related to public health incidences and related human deaths were captured from the 11 Member States through the new WHO electronic public health intelligence platform, also called Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS), since 2018. Of these, 102 were confirmed as events of public health importance; important variations were observed according to the hazard type and country of occurrence for major events.

The Working Group, which has met seven times since 2008, recommended a 10-year external evaluation of the utilization and impact of SEARHEF (its relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability). It was supported by WHE, hosted by Timor-Leste and prioritized by the Regional Director as one of the areas of work to be evaluated in 2018.

SEARHEF provided immediate financial support to nine out of 11 Member States in 37 emergency operations, with disbursements of more than US$ 5.91 million. As of July 2019, US$ 466 307 has been disbursed from the allocation of US$ 1.1 million in the current biennium (2018–2019) (including Timor-Leste’s Voluntary Contribution from of US$ 100 000).

INDIA

NEPAL DPR KOREA

BANGLADESH

THAILANDMYANMAR

SRI LANKA

INDONESIA

MALDIVES

TIMOR-LESTE

BHUTAN

cVDPV1

cVDPV1Tsunami

FloodsFood insecurity

Earthquake

Tsunami

Floods

FloodsNipah (n=2)

Zika Floods

Floods

Floods

Societal

The South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) is an operational fund and is earmarked for providing support for the health sector response of Member States during emergencies. The Fund, established via Regional Committee resolution SEA/RC60/R7 in 2008, pools a budget of US$ 1 million for each biennium from Assessed Contributions. It provides financial support for the first three months following a disaster in a Member State to meet immediate and urgent health needs, support emergency field operations and fill in critical gaps. SEARHEF is overseen by a Working Group comprising 11 representatives from Member States.

Under IHR (2005) obligations, Member States have maintained 100% compliance with the self-assessed State Party Annual Reporting (SPAR) for 2018. Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand developed their national action plans for health security in 2018 and are implementing them, while they are planned for 2019 in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Timor-Leste.

India conducted an after-action review (AAR) for Nipah virus outbreak response and Nepal after an air crash event. Indonesia and Nepal conducted simulation exercises for influenza outbreak preparedness and response. A regional training for promoting implementation of AAR and SimEx is being planned for September 2019 to further build and test IHR core capacities in the Region.

The Regional Office has also developed and disseminated the emergency response operations manual, with clear roles and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the guidance of WHO country offices and emergency teams in the field.

To increase awareness of and response capacities for events following the release of hazardous substances, including chemicals, biological agents, radiological and nuclear materials (CBRN), WHO conducted a training on Emergency Response in Natural, Accidental and Deliberate Events and Operational Readiness in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 13–15 February 2019. It was attended by representatives from various ministries and different sectors involved in the health response to deliberate events. Maldives also participated in this training.

Worst floods since 1924 in the Indian coastal state of Kerala. WHO provided support with funding from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). A post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA) for the health sector was conducted under WHO leadership.

Floods hit the north and south Hwanghae provinces of DPR Korea. WHO provided for immediate health needs.

Monsoon floods affected Bago Region, Mon State, Kayin State and Tanintharyi Region in Myanmar. The Country Office provided immediate support in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Sports (MoHS) and other UN agencies and international partners.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Donggala District, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia on 28 September 2018, followed by a tsunami and liquefaction. WHO resources were mobilized from the country to regional levels. An after-action/operational review was conducted in Palu City during the early recovery phase.

A tsunami hit western part of Java/Sunda strait after the Anak Krakatoa volcano erupted. This caused underwater landslides with high tide and tsunami waves in Banten Province on 22 December.

In June 2019, a regional consultation of IHR national focal points (NFPs) was organized to discuss and finalize a Five-year Regional Strategic Plan to strengthen Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response and a Regional Risk Communication Strategy. It also worked out modalities for the Regional Knowledge Network of IHR NFPs to share best practices and learning.

WHO responded to several acute emergencies in 2018:

In addition to several smaller-scale emergencies, the Regional Office provided technical and financial support to the highest-graded emergency caused by the influx of more than 800 000 Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh since late August 2017.

Major events in the SEA Region (1st January 2018–16th July 2019)

* Joint External Evaluation conducted in Member States** MMR and no country should have an MMR of more than 140.

AKM Rahmat Ali

Disclaimer: © World Health Organization. The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply the expression of an opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

CHALLENGES

THE WAY FORWARD

ACHIEVEMENTS

SCALE-UP CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN

EMERGENCY RISK MANAGEMENT

IN COUNTRIES

The WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia passed a resolution in September 2018 on strengthening EMTs, the first such resolution in any of the six WHO regions.

Thailand became the first Member State in the Region to get WHO classification for its EMT and the 26th team in the international roster of WHO-classified, internationally deployable medical teams.

Public health intelligence has been strengthened as one of the central functions under which detected events are systematically verified, assessed for their potential to spread and have a severe impact, and finally recorded in close collaboration with national authorities.

Since 2008, SEARHEF has provided immediate financial support to nine out of 11 Member States in 37 emergency operations, with disbursements of more than US$ 5.91 million.

Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand developed their national action plans for health security in 2018 and are implementing them, while they are planned for 2019 in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Timor-Leste.

Protracted emergencies such as the Rohingya crisis require huge resources – technical, financial and logistical – in the medium to long term. All levels of the Organization need to be continually engaged to provide the most efficient assistance.

Limited capacity of the IHR NFPs across the Region, especially in the areas of field epidemiology, vector control and prevention, infection control, travel medicine, risk communication, emerging and re-emerging diseases, mass gathering management and points of entry (specifically ground crossings).

For this flagship, the focus will be to sustain all efforts in emergency preparedness and response capabilities in the health sector. This entails implementing the regional plan for emergency preparedness and response capacity building which includes IHR strengthening and measuring progress, work on risk communications, detection, verification and event notification and management. Investments need to be accelerated, whether financial or technical or through domestic sources or partners in order to move forward in core elements of this area of work. These partnerships and investments need to address gaps such as capacities for operational readiness, chemical, biological, and radionuclear events, points of entry, health emergency operations centers and emergency medical teams. Lastly, this flagship will leverage ICT technologies and new partnerships to improve preparedness and response systems in countries.

SUSTAIN

ACCELERATE

INNOVATE

efforts to strengthen emergency preparedness and response capabilities in health and related sectors.

investment to address critical gaps at national and subnational levels.

to continuously improve preparedness and response systems.

Mehak SethiWHO SEARO

CHALLENGES

THE WAY FORWARD

ACHIEVEMENTS

SCALE-UP CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN

EMERGENCY RISK MANAGEMENT

IN COUNTRIES

The WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia passed a resolution in September 2018 on strengthening EMTs, the first such resolution in any of the six WHO regions.

Thailand became the first Member State in the Region to get WHO classification for its EMT and the 26th team in the international roster of WHO-classified, internationally deployable medical teams.

Public health intelligence has been strengthened as one of the central functions under which detected events are systematically verified, assessed for their potential to spread and have a severe impact, and finally recorded in close collaboration with national authorities.

Since 2008, SEARHEF has provided immediate financial support to nine out of 11 Member States in 37 emergency operations, with disbursements of more than US$ 5.91 million.

Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand developed their national action plans for health security in 2018 and are implementing them, while they are planned for 2019 in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Timor-Leste.

Protracted emergencies such as the Rohingya crisis require huge resources – technical, financial and logistical – in the medium to long term. All levels of the Organization need to be continually engaged to provide the most efficient assistance.

Limited capacity of the IHR NFPs across the Region, especially in the areas of field epidemiology, vector control and prevention, infection control, travel medicine, risk communication, emerging and re-emerging diseases, mass gathering management and points of entry (specifically ground crossings).

For this flagship, the focus will be to sustain all efforts in emergency preparedness and response capabilities in the health sector. This entails implementing the regional plan for emergency preparedness and response capacity building which includes IHR strengthening and measuring progress, work on risk communications, detection, verification and event notification and management. Investments need to be accelerated, whether financial or technical or through domestic sources or partners in order to move forward in core elements of this area of work. These partnerships and investments need to address gaps such as capacities for operational readiness, chemical, biological, and radionuclear events, points of entry, health emergency operations centers and emergency medical teams. Lastly, this flagship will leverage ICT technologies and new partnerships to improve preparedness and response systems in countries.

SUSTAIN

ACCELERATE

INNOVATE

efforts to strengthen emergency preparedness and response capabilities in health and related sectors.

investment to address critical gaps at national and subnational levels.

to continuously improve preparedness and response systems.

Mehak SethiWHO SEARO